Looper or needle eccentric adjustment means for tufting machines

ABSTRACT

A tufting machine which includes a rockable jack shaft carrying at one side of the machine a duplicated jack shaft lever coupled to impart operational movement to loopers or neeldes of the machine, the duplicated jack shaft lever consisting of two levers of different length disposed side by side, both levers being independently and detachably connected to the jack shaft, the longer lever being connected at its end remote from the jack shaft to means for rocking the jack shaft and the shorter lever being connected at its end remote from the jack shaft to the longer lever by an eccentric stud which is rotatable to effect relative angular adjustment of the levers.

Umted States Patent 1191 [11] 3,919,952

Lund 1 Nov. 18, 1975 15 LOOPER 0R NEEDLE ECCENTRIC 3,084,644 4/1963 Card 112/79 R ADJUSTMENT MEANS FOR TUNING 3,626,878 12/1971 Cobble 112/79 R 3,749,036 7/1973 Priestly et al. 112/79 R MACHINES 3,830,174 8/1974 Mellor 112/79 R Inventor: Ernest Kenneth Lund, Accrington,

England Edgar Pickering (Blackburn) Limited, Blackburn, England Filed: July 11, 1974 Appl. No.: 487.751

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data July l l, 1973 United Kingdom 32995/73 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1940 Kenner. Sr. et al 112/79 R Primary Examiner-Werner H. Schroeder Assistant Eraminer-Conrad L. Berman Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Watso'n, Cole, Grindle & Watson [57] ABSTRACT A tufting machine which includes a rockable jack shaft carrying at one side of the machine a duplicated jack shaft lever coupled to impart operational movement to loopers or neeldes of the machine, the duplicated jack shaft lever consisting of two levers of different length disposed side by side, both levers being independently and detachably connected to the jack shaft, the longer lever being connected at its end remote from the jack shaft to means for rocking the jack shaft and the shorter lever being connected at its end remote from the jack shaft to the longer lever by an eccentric stud which is rotatable to effect relative angular adjustment of the levers.

U.S. Patent Nov. 18,1975 Sheet10f3 3,919,952

US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 Sheet20f3 3,919,952

U.S. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 S heet3of3 3,919,952

LOOPER OR NEEDLE ECCENTRIC ADJUSTMENT MEANS FOR TUFTING MACHINES Tufting machines for producing tufted fabrics include, as is well known, means for advancing a backing fabric through the machine, a vertically reciprocable needle bar extending transversely'to the direction of advance of the fabric and carrying needles which penetrate the fabric to produce loops of yarn extending downwardly from the undersurface of the fabric and loopers (sometimes called tufting hooks) which are positioned in line beneath the fabric and are given an oscillating movement with respect to the needles to pick up the loops of yarn from the needles.

The movements may be imparted to the loopers and also to the needles from jack shafts, to which a rocking motion is imparted from the machine drive shaft and carrying jack shaft levers by which motion is imparted to the loopers or to the needles as the case may be.

It is sometimes required to adjust the end positions of the stroke of the loopers or of the needles by a small amount without altering the length of the stroke. Hitherto the jack shaft levers have been made in one piece with the result that, as described in more detail below, the adjustment is difficult and laborious.

With a view to overcoming this difficulty, the invention provides a tufting machine which includes a rockable jack shaft carrying at one side of the machine a duplicated jack shaft lever coupled to impart operational movement to loopers or needles of the machine, the duplicated jack shaft lever consisting of two levers of different length disposed side by side, both levers being independently and detachably connected to the jack shaft, the longer lever being connected at its end remote from the jack shaft to means for rocking the jack shaft and the shorter lever being connected at its end remote from the jack shaft to the longer lever by an eccentric stud which is rotatable to effect relative angular adjustment of the levers.

Two embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation illustrating a looper actuating mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation, on a larger scale, of the jack shaft lever,

FIG. 3 is a section on the line III-III in FIG. 2,

FIGS. 4 and 5 are diagrams showing a looper and a needle in alternative positions of relative adjustment,

FIG. 6 is a side elevation illustrating a needle operating mechanism.

The tufting machine illustrated includes a bar 10 (FIG. 1) carrying a number of loopers 11, each of which coacts with one of the needles 12 (FIGS. 4 and 5) on the needle bar to pick up the loops of yarn which are projected through a backing fabric by reciprocation of the needle bar, the fabric travelling continuously through the machine in a direction transverse to the length of the needle bar in the well known manner.

The bar 10 is supported at each side of the machine by a bracket 13 on a shaft 14 to which oscillating movement is imparted by the mechanism shown in FIG. 1 and by a substantially identical mechanism at the other end of the machine. The movement is derived from a continuously rotating drive shaft 15 carrying near each end an eccentric 16 surrounded by a ring 17 integral with a link 18 which can be coupled by a pin 19 to alternativeholes 20 in an arm 21 fixed to a rocker shaft 22 to vary the stroke imparted to the loopers 11.

Fixed to each end of the rocker shaft 22 is an arm 23, having a slot 24 engaged by a pin 25 on the upper end of a link 26. A jack shaft lever 27, attached'to a jack shaft 28, is connected by a pair of links 29 to the lower end of the link 26. The jack shaft 28 carries an arm 30, connected by a link 31 to the bracket 13.

It is sometimes required to adjust the end positions of the looper stroke L (FIGS. 4 and 5) with respect to the needles 11 by a small amount, of the order of 0.005 to 0.125 inches, without altering the length of the stroke. This adjustment is often necessary when changing pile height, yarn count or whenever a later or earlier yarn pickup is thought desirable.

Hitherto the jack shaft levers 27 have been made in one piece and the operation has been carried out manually when the needles 12 are in the backing fabric and the loopers 11 extend across the needles, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. To perform it the jackshaft levers 27 are slackened on the jack shaft 28 and the whole looper bar assembly is physically levered from one end of the machine backwards and forwards by trial and error until the required setting is obtained. The jack shaft levers 27 are then tightened on the jack shaft 28 to take up the drive.

This requires severe physical effort because the adjustment is performed while the numerous loopers are in contact with the needles.

To facilitate making this adjustment, in the machine illustrated, the jack shaft lever 27 at one side of the machine is, as shown most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3 made in two parts 27A, 278. The part 27A is connected by a pin 32 to the links 29 and can be clamped to the jack shaft 28 by screws 33. The lever 27B is coupled to the lever 27A by an eccentric stud 34 having a larger portion engaging a hole in the lever 27A and a smaller eccentric portion 34A engaging a slot 343 in the lever 27B, and can be clamped to the jack shaft 28 by screws 35.

It will be assumed that it is desired to change the looper-needle relationship from that shown in FIG. 4 to that shown in FIG. 5. The procedure is as follows:

1. With the machine stopped and the looper-needle positioned as in FIG. 4, release the one part jack shaft lever at the opposite end of the machine, by slackening the screws (not shown but corresponding to the screws 33, 35) securing it to the jack shaft 28.

2. Slacken off a lock nut 36 ensuring that the hexagon head 37 of the eccentric stud 34 is held by a spanner whilst the lock nut is made loose.

3. Slacken off the screws 33 to free the lever 27A from the shaft 28, leaving the lever 27B attached to the shaft 28 by the cap screws 35. The lever 27A remains restrained against movement in the direction of the arrow Y by the eccentric l5 and the arm 23.

4. Turn the eccentric stud 34 through up or down as shown in FIG. 2. This imparts rotation to the shaft 28 and, assuming the eccentricity of the stud 34 to be A inch, this enables the linkage shown in FIG. 1 to impart a total movement of 0.300 inch to the loopers 11, assuming the eccentric stud 34 to have initially been in its central position. When the loopers 11 have reached the desired position, the head 37 of the stud 34 is held, the lock nut 36 is tightened, the screws 35 are tightened and the aforementioned screws of the jack shaft lever at the opposite end of the machine are also tightened.

If, after performing the adjustment, it is desired to recentralise the eccentric stud 34, this may be performed by slackening the lock nut 36 and the screws 35 to free the lever, 27B from the shaft 28, turning the stud 34 to the central position and retightening the lock nut 36 and the screws 35.

i A scale 41 is provided to indicate the position of adjustment of the stud 34, the scale cooperating with an index mark 50 on a flange 42 on the stud 34.

The needles 12 are mounted on a neddle bar 50 carried by a push rod 51 which is reciprocated by a link 52 operated by an adjustable double lever 27 similar to that shown in FIG. 3 from a rocking shaft 28A which is rocked by an eccentric 43 on a drive shaft 44 by a linkage 45. Adjustment of the end positions of the needle stroke without alteration of the length of the stroke can be effected by adjustment of the double lever 27, in the manner already described by release of the connections of the portions thereof to the shaft 28A and rotation of the eccentric stud, the head whereof is shown at 37 in FIG. 6.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. ln a tufting machine, the combination of a machine element mounted for movement to and fro in a predetermined but adjustable stroke, a continuously rotatable drive shaft and an operating linkage for imparting said movement to said machine element from said drive shaft, said operating linkage including a rocking shaft, a duplicated lever comprising a first lever and a second lever each having a first and a second end, first releasable means connecting the first end of the first lever to the rocking shaft, independent second releasable means connecting the first end of the second lever to the rocking shaft, means connecting the second end of the first lever to a member of said operating linkage, and an eccentric stud and slot means interconnecting the second end of the second lever to the first lever, said eccentric stud being rotatable to effect relative angular adjustment of said levers upon release of said first releasable means.

2. A tufting machine according to claim 1, wherein said machine element comprises a number of loopers.

3. A tufting machine according to claim 1, wherein said machine element comprises a number of needles.

4. A tufting machine according to claim 1, wherein said eccentric stud has a larger portion engaging a hole in said first lever and an eccentric similar portion engaging a slot in said second lever, said machine including a lock nut on the smaller portion of said stud.

5. A tufting machine according to claim 2, which includes a shaft carrying said loopers, a bracket on said shaft, an arm on said rocking shaft and a link coupling said bracket to said arm. 

1. In a tufting machine, the combination of a machine element mounted for movement to and fro in a predetermined but adjustable stroke, a continuously rotatable drive shaft and an operating linkage for imparting said movement to said machine element from said drive shaft, said operating linkage including a rocking shaft, a duplicated lever comprising a first lever and a second lever each having a first and a second end, first releasable means connecting the first end of the first lever to the rocking shaft, independent second releasable means connecting the first end of the second lever to the rocking shaft, means connecting the second end of the first lever to a member of said operating linkage, and an eccentric stud and slot means interconnecting the second end of the second lever to the first lever, said eccentric stud being rotatable to effect relative angular adjustment of said levers upon release of said first releasable means.
 2. A tufting machine according to claim 1, wherein said machine element comprises a number of loopers.
 3. A tufting machine according to claim 1, wherein said machine element comprises a number of needles.
 4. A tufting machine according to claim 1, wherein said eccentric stud has a larger portion engaging a hole in said first lever and an eccentric similar portion engaging a slot in said second lever, said machine including a lock nut on the smaller portion of said stud.
 5. A tufting machine according to claim 2, which includes a shaft carrying said loopers, a bracket on said shaft, an arm on said rocking shaft and a link coupling said bracket to said arm. 